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Texas Motor Speedway, in conjunction with the Texas chapter of Speedway Children's Charities, is backing a state proposition on the upcoming Texas Constitutional Amendment Election Ballot to allow its non-profit organization to conduct 50/50 raffles that is currently afforded by law to the state's professional sports organizations.

Texas Motor Speedway is supporting Proposition Number 5 - also known as HJR 100 - on the Constitutional Amendment Election Ballot set for Tuesday, Nov. 7. HJR 100 is listed as, "The constitutional amendment on professional sports team charitable foundations conducting charitable raffles."

The voting period for this ballot and the various other propositions begins with early voting from Monday, Oct. 23, through Friday, Nov. 3, and then Official Election Day on Tuesday, Nov. 7.

All of the state's professional sports teams, including the Dallas Cowboys, Stars, Mavericks, Texas Rangers and FC Dallas in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, have the state's consent under law to conduct 50/50 raffles at their games to support their respective charitable organizations. The raffles allow these teams to collectively generate millions of dollars annually for the betterment of their communities through these organizations.

Proposition Number 5 would allow for, "motorsports racing team event sanctioned by the National Association for Stock Car Racing (NASCAR), INDYCAR or another nationally recognized motorsports racing association at a venue in this state with a permanent seating capacity of not less than 75,000."

Texas Motor Speedway, the Fort Worth-based venue with a seating capacity of 137,000, annually plays host to two races each in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, XFINITY Series and Camping World Truck Series as well as one in the Verizon IndyCar Series.

Since its inception in 1997, the Texas Chapter of Speedway Children's Charities has distributed $10.2 million in grants to Texas-based, non-profit organizations that provide assistance to children. To illustrate Speedway Children's Charities impact over those 21 years, Texas Motor Speedway could be filled 18 times with the number of children that have benefitted from the organization's support.

Other sports organizations included in this proposition are minor-league baseball; those hosting a PGA Tour event; American Hockey League; East Coast Hockey League; American Association of Independent Professional Baseball; Atlantic League of Professional Baseball; NBA Development League; National Women's Soccer League; Major Arena Soccer League; United Soccer League; and the Women's National Basketball Association.

For those unfamiliar with how a 50/50 raffle works at a sporting event, it is a fairly simple process. During a sporting event, there is an opportunity for any of the spectators to partake in the raffle. The spectator purchases a chance at a designated price point and is given a number. Near the close of the event, a number is randomly selected and announced, and that person with the matching number receives 50 percent of the total proceeds collected. The charitable organization receives the other 50 percent, minus an administrative fee for the third party that manages and regulates the process by law.

For more information on the ballot, please visit votetexas.gov or the Texas Legislature Online home page.